


Flatline

by prkbaekhyun



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Awkward Luke, Blow Jobs, Clemmings, Explicit Sexual Content, Jealous Calum, Light Dom/sub, Love Triangles, Love at First Sight, M/M, Minor Violence, Muke - Freeform, Punk Michael, Relationship Issues, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, University Student Luke, Verbal Abuse, art student!ashton, college!5sos, med student!luke, punk!michael, university!5sos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-20
Updated: 2015-12-06
Packaged: 2018-04-22 15:14:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4840265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prkbaekhyun/pseuds/prkbaekhyun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reality can be too much sometimes, and Luke knows that all too well, but it can be completely unbearable when you've got the weight of the world on your shoulders and a cute boy flirting with you everyday.</p><p>or</p><p>The one where Luke is a second-year med student who's friends with benefits with Calum, but gets his life turned around by the tattooed boy from HMV.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. i

**Author's Note:**

> so this is my first muke fic.... yikes.... hoping that it doesn't flop. I'll try to update every week but it may not be consistent because i do have school. Tell my what you think and I hope you enjoy! UPDATE: soo this fic is so old now, and I honestly don't even know where the storyline was supposed to go! So, I've decided to end it on the cliffhanger because I'm mean lol. Thank you to everyone who read/commented/talked to me on tumblr about it: I LOVE YOU GUYS! I hope you have a great day!

Walking into HMV on a Thursday morning much like others, Luke really didn't understand why he felt different. Maybe it was all the caffeine he had rushing through his veins from the late night of anatomy papers he endured only a few hours ago. Maybe it was the embarrassment from having to cover up the hickeys he received on Tuesday that still hadn't faded. Or, maybe it was the way that the boy at the counter was staring Luke down like he wasn't as tall as a skyscraper, making him feel vulnerable and small. Luke wasn't entirely sure what it was, but nonetheless, the blonde continued through the store, stopping at the racks of pop/rock CDs. Out of the corner of his eye, Luke could see the black-haired boy from the counter staring at him as he scoured the many albums, and soon enough the boy was on his way over to him; straightening his uniform and fixing his snapback, hoping to make a good first impression. This was what Luke had been dreading. He hated talking to people in stores; he felt so awkward. 

     "Good morning!" The boy spoke in an unusually cheerful tone for 7:00am, but Luke didn't pay much mind. He was too busy trying to avoid conversation. "Can I help you find anything?" 

     "I'm alright," Luke responded, thanking God that his voice didn't waver as he spoke to this tattooed stranger. "Just browsing," he finished, but that time he had stuttered. He knew already that this day would be a terrible one. 

     "Okay, well, if you need anything my name is Michael." The newly named boy smiled wide, exposing his teeth. Luke felt that the "punk aesthetic" that Michael had originally shown was wearing off quickly. The blonde nodded at Michael's words, causing him to walk back to the counter. After checking his phone, Luke decided he should start to make his way to his first class, and just as he was leaving Michael gave him a toothy smile and a happy wave. _What a weird guy,_ he thought to himself, making his way out of the store and onto the busy street. _He was cute though._

* * *

     "You know, I really don't get why you don't let me hold your hand in public," Calum complained to Luke as they sat in the Starbucks across from their campus.  "We're basically a couple, and all of our friends know. Are you embarrassed by me?" he asked, nibbling on the cookie he and Luke were sharing. 

     The younger boy simply shrugged, thinking up a quick excuse. "No, of course I'm not embarrassed by you, I just don't see why we shouldn't keep private matters private," Luke clarified. He held his tongue and didn't comment on how all of Calum's friends knew. Not Luke's though - mainly because Luke didn't have any friends to tell. Calum was the only one who had ever wanted to be his friend, and they had been friends for quite a while; ever since year 9. In year 12 they kissed each other for the first time. Soon after that, Calum was trying to inch his way closer to Luke, but Luke really didn't know what to do. He had no feelings for Calum other than the platonic ones that had formed originally when they met each other, but he really didn't have the heart to tell his best friend that - even though he did enjoy when they would spend the night together. It was pleasure over happiness in Luke's case, though he was starting to slowly realize that how he was treating Calum was not right. He already knew that Calum deserved much better than him.  


     "Would you let me take you on a date? It can be somewhere private, I just really like you, Luke." Calum pleaded. Reluctantly, Luke agreed, sipping his now cold latte. Calum smiled at his best friend's response, reaching over the table to take Luke's hand-- and Luke let him.

* * *

     That evening was Calum and Luke's date, but Luke wasn't ready at all. He had had at least two episodes just thinking about it. He didn't want to go on a date with Calum, he wanted to stay home and do his homework, take a bath, do _anything_ other than go on that god forsaken date, yet, there he stood, crying every time he was slightly reminded of what he was going to have to go through. He felt like a child. Luke  _always_ felt like a child. That's what his Dad would say to him every time he cried. He would tell him how he wasn't being a man, how he was an  _absolute disgrace,_ and Luke believed it. 

     His phone rang, and he knew that it was Calum, so he fixed his blonde locks and answered the phone, telling his date that he would be right down. In a few minutes, he was as ready as he could be, and he locked the door of his small apartment before he headed downstairs. Luke saw Calum waiting outside his apartment building with a bouquet of flowers. _Tonight is going to be torture,_ was all the younger boy could think as he stepped into the crisp autumn air, hoping for the best, but expecting the very worst.


	2. ii

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for all the feedback on chapter 1!! you guys are motivating me to just keep going with this fic lmao

     The only thing that was going through Luke's mind as he sat next to Calum in the dark theatre was how  _nice_ it felt to be spending some time outside of his apartment. He really did need to get out more-- other than going to class and meeting up with Calum for "dates" he didn't get out much. It made Luke mad at himself for acting like Calum was the worst person in the world, because his only friend was just trying to help him be social, and truly he was grateful for Cal's persistence.

     As the credits began to roll the dim lights of the cinema came on, making the crimson carpet stand out in contrast against the black seats. Calum was the first to stand, which took Luke by surprise, but he soon followed suit and was leg out of the theatre by the dark haired boy.

     "That movie was amazing. Did you see those special effects? I'm going to have to see that one again." He raved to Luke. His rant continued well into their drive home, and he didn't allow any significant comments from the blonde other than a few agreements here and there. Though, Luke didn't mind much, because he was beginning to feel comfort in Calum's happiness. It was weird to him, since before the night had started he was crying at the very thought of spending this much alone time with Calum Hood.

     Calum pulled up to Luke's building and stopped outside the front doors, saying something about how much fun he had with Luke and how he'd love to do it again. _That_ was something Luke expected. What he  _didn't_ expect was for Calum to lean over the console and press his plump lips onto Luke's. He could feel his heart clench and his lip ring press against his lip further. His best friend was  _kissing him_ and he didn't know how to take it. Sure, they'd kissed before, and shared many drunken nights in bed together, but this was a different kind of kiss. This was a sober kiss, a fully conscious decision that was making Luke extremely uncomfortable. He pulled back almost as swiftly as Calum leaned in and watched as his friends faced dropped.

     "What's wrong?" Was the first thing to popped out of Calum's mouth. All Luke could do was look at his lap and wipe his lips with the back of his hand, apologizing before stepping out of Calum's car and running inside of the apartment. Luke fumbled as he made his way back upstairs. He shakily pulled out his keys and unlocked the door, stumbling in and slamming his door. _How could I be so_ stupid, he thought, rushing to his bedroom and frantically taking off his clothes.  _This was a date. You knew it was a date, but you let yourself believe that it was just a friendly thing. Now look what you've done! You've ruined your only friendship and you have no one now._

     Luke tried to make his thoughts stop, but they began to consume his entire being until there was nothing left but the words of discouragement. So, the blonde did what he always did when his mind wouldn't give him a break; he walked to the bathroom and turned on the faucet for the bathtub, watching it fill with hot water.

* * *

     The bath had certainly helped, and although it may not have fixed all of Luke's problems, it had definitely calmed him down. He decided while soaking in the bubble filled tub that he would call Calum tomorrow and ask him if they could meet at Starbucks like they usually do-- if Luke was going to set the record straight he'd much rather do it in person. Then, once he had told Calum how he really felt about the two of them, hopefully his friend would understand and everything would go back to the way it used to be back in high school. To say Luke was doubtful about his plan actually working would be an understatement.

     The young 19 year old cuddled on his couch, surrounded by pillows and blankets, the soft sound of How I Met Your Mother playing on the television filling the room. He was sad, but he knew that he didn't have time to be sad. Luke didn't have time for emotion anymore, and he knew that more than anything. Everyone had told him that the second year of medical school was much harder than the first, but he didn't actually realize just  _how hard_ it would be until he was halfway through the first month. He was swamped with papers, tests, even some late night hospital work, and he had no idea how to manage it all without falling apart completely. It was stressful and made Luke want to cry 24/7, but he knew that if he did cry he would never get anywhere. His father used to yell at him whenever he cried over "stupid things" like school. Except it wasn't just school that made Luke upset, he was beginning to find himself crying over small things lately too; like yesterday evening when he forgot to stop the microwave and he burned his popcorn, or that morning when he had accidentally dropped his toothbrush into the sink. It was those little mistakes that seemed to get to Luke the most, and he couldn't figure out why.

     Calum, on the other hand, was a huge deal. Luke couldn't understand why he let it go on for so long. He was leading on his  _best friend_ and had been for over 3 years, which was crazy to think about in perspective. It had to stop, otherwise Luke would end up hurting Calum even more than he already had, and he wasn't sure if he could handle that.

* * *

     The next morning came sooner than expected, and the blonde boy was exhausted completely. He had practically stayed up all night dreading the thought of what he had to do in the morning, and now that the morning had finally come, he was contemplating faking sick. But, Luke managed to muster up all of the courage he held inside of him, and picked his phone up to call his best friend. It rang for a few seconds before the Aussie voice known as Calum Hood answered.

     "Luke? Why are you calling me?" He asked in a quizzical tone. It was clear that Calum was surprised to see Luke in the caller ID.

     "I just wanted to know if you'd maybe want to go to Starbucks with me this morning? I mean, like normal... I think we should talk." Luke tried to explain with as little words as possible. The less words meant less chance of him stuttering or crying.

     "Yeah, of course. I would love that, Luke. See you at 8." Calum replied, sounding relieved. To be honest, Luke was relieved too. He thought Calum would reject him, but then again, the boy was in more than likely love with him.

     He got dressed in a matter of minutes, quickly cleaning up to try and look presentable. He figured that if he looked good then he would feel more confident and not chicken out as he usually did. Once he was ready to go, he grabbed his bag that was filled with text books and essays that needed to be handed in that day at school and headed out the door, locking up and going straight for the front of the building.

     Luke had never seen the convenience of having his own car, so he walked everywhere instead-- not that he could afford one anyway, he had more student debt than that boy from HMV had tattoos.  _The boy from HMV,_  he thought, remembering the beautiful boy that had so cheerfully greeted him only the day before. The blonde quickly checked the time, and after seeing it was only 7:30, headed straight for HMV. He hoped that Michael, who had been working the previous morning, was there that day too, mainly because he needed something to distract himself with, but also because he was extremely attractive.

* * *

 

     "You came back." Michael smiled and looked over at Luke as he entered the store. Luke nodded, smiling as well. He made his was over to the counter where Michael stood and leaned on it. "If you need any help, don't be afraid to ask." Michael added. The store was a deep black colour that matched Michael's hair, and it was filled with movies, tv shows, and music. Luke wasn't even sure if he would be able to name all of the things in the store, and he wasn't sure how Michael would be able to help him if he  _did_ need to find something. He was almost positive that he would get lost if he worked in a place like that.

     "I'm not here to buy anything. To be completely honest, I came to talk to you." Luke said awkwardly, blushing as he looked away from the attractive boy. He wished that he wasn't so socially impaired, it would make talking to cute boys much easier. Michael laughed at Luke's blush, and that made Luke feel even worse. He wished he'd never decided to go to the stupid store. Michael quickly noticed Luke's expression change and stopped laughing.

     "Oh, I'm sorry, that came out mean. I wasn't trying to hurt you, I just thought it was cute. You're cute when you blush." He explained, hoping that Luke didn't find him weird for calling him cute, or mean for laughing. Luke nodded understandingly, blushing even more because he had just been called cute by someone who was probably way out of his league.

     "Thank you," Luke began. "No one ever calls me cute. Especially not boys." He finished, immediately regretting that statement.  _Especially not boys? He's obviously going to know you're gay now. Good job once again, Hemmings. You just gutted yourself to someone who's probably straighter than a line,_ Luke mentally scolded himself for being so stupid. _  
_

     "I always compliment people, I like making them feel good about themselves. You're no exception. You're very cute in general." Michael giggled, fixing some of the movies that were littered around the counter. Luke's heart fluttered.  _Michael just called you cute, stay calm and don't blow this._

 _"_ Are you gay?" Luke asked next, also regretting that. _N_ _evermind._ Michael's face went red, and Luke hid his own in his hands. "I'm sorry," He stuttered shamefully through his hands, almost as if they were a barrier between him and further embarrassment. "You don't have to answer that. I'm so sorry."

     "No, it's okay. I don't mind." Michael replied reassuringly. "And I'm bi." He explained next. Luke nodded his head understandingly, still clearly embarrassed. The clock on the wall caught his eye, and after realizing that it was nearly 8 o'clock he quickly thought of a way to leave Michael without making it seem like he was just trying to leave the situation.

     "I should go, I'm meeting a friend." He mumbled. Michael frowned but nodded. The boy's hands flew to a small piece of paper and a pen that was laying on the counter beside one of the registers and scribbled a few things down.

     "Here," He smiled, handing Luke the page. After some observation he noticed that is had  **Michael Clifford** written on it, as well as a phone number. "Text me any time." The blonde blushed furiously and stuffed the paper into his pocket, waving as he made his way out the door. Maybe he would text the black haired boy who's tattoos fascinated Luke, but right now he had to talk to Calum, and that was something he really wasn't ready for.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading :-) feedback always appreciated


	3. iii

     He didn't show. Luke waited, for over 45 minutes he sat alone at a small table in Starbucks, but Calum didn't show. He just didn't understand why. How could Calum tell him to meet him somewhere and then blow him off? He was more confused than he was hurt. It wasn't like Calum to do things like that, and so Luke was sure that there was a reasonable explanation. Maybe he got stuck in traffic, or had car troubles and missed the bus. Luke decided to go with one of those excuses, not wanting to think badly about someone who had always shown kindness to him. He hoped that he would receive a call or text from his friend, apologizing for not showing and pressuring Luke into being with him, although he had a lot of doubt that that would ever happen.

     He made his way to his first class, confusion still filling his brain as he walked, but when he collided with another being his thoughts went elsewhere. There, in front of the blonde, was a boy with black, thick framed glasses and an over-sized, burgundy, knit sweater that probably could have reached his knees if it wasn't bunched up at the waist. He had floppy, tan hair that supported a few loose curls here and there, as well as beautiful hazel eyes. Not as beautiful as Michael's though, Luke noted. The other boy was the first of the pair to apologize properly, fixing the countless moleskin books in his arms.

     "I'm so sorry! I should have been paying more attention, I'm so absent minded sometimes." He explained to Luke, using a lengthy finger to push his glasses further up his nose. Luke thought the boy was cute, but it didn't phase him too much since he was undoubtably crushing on the boy from HMV.

     "That's alright, I was too busy thinking about someone- something else." He stuttered back, cheeks heating quickly because of his social awkwardness. Luke was about to part from the glasses-clad boy and continue on the way to class, but the boy stopped him by saying something else.

     "I'm Ashton, by the way." He revealed in a cheery tone, reminding Luke much of Michael. "But most people just call me Ash. Ashton can sort of be a mouthful sometimes." He giggled. Luke thought had one of the best laughs he had ever heard; he didn't think he'd ever forget the sound of Ashton laughing. "What's your name?" Ash inquired next.

     "L-Luke." He stammered, facing the ground. "I'm a med student here."

     "Cool! I'm majoring in visual arts, but I'm also minoring in music. I play drums, guitar, and piano." The smily boy explained. Luke was amazed by how open someone could be--he himself had trouble even telling a stranger what kind of coffee he wanted. It was intriguing as well, and he couldn't help but feel compelled to try and befriend this boy. Maybe some exposure to an extrovert would help Luke become comfortable with small things like ordering food or socializing with his family at Christmas time."Hopefully we'll see each other again soon. I love making new friends." Ashton chirped. "I have to get to class now, or else I'm going to be extremely late. See you around, Luke." He laughed, making his way in the direction he was originally headed after waving goodbye to the blonde. Luke smiled and waved back, collecting himself again once the boy was gone and heading off to his first class of the day. That encounter went surprisingly well, in Luke's mind. Quite honestly, he was proud of himself for pulling through, and he mentally patted himself on the back for it while walking through the grand wooden doors of Jerome Hall where his class was being held.

* * *

 

      After his final class for the week ended at 4:00pm, Luke found himself wondering what to do. Friday evenings for Luke were usually spent sitting in front of the T.V. watching re-runs of How I Met Your Mother, but that Friday he had an idea. If he could find Ashton again, maybe he would be able to muster up enough courage to ask him out for a drink or something-- anything to get Luke out of the house and not thinking about Calum. So, as soon as he walked out of his last class of the day, he fixed some of the papers that had been crammed into his book bag and scoured the campus for Ashton. He can't be that hard to find, he thought, his long legs striding over to the library. That was the first place he figured he'd look, and it was as good a place as any.

     The library at Luke's university was quite a good size, the people who'd designed it had clearly made good use of every possible space inside. To the left of the entry there was a small cafe, mainly selling tea and various pastries, as well as a quaint sitting area that Luke regularly saw couples canoodling at. A few clusters of computer desks were scattered throughout the countless shelves of books, and there was plenty of tables and seating for those students who wanted to _actually_ do their work. As the blonde boy looked, his eyes eventually landed on his original target, and he started over to the table Ashton was sitting at. The art major was currently sketching a figure in one of the moleskins he'd been carrying when they’d met earlier. The blonde decided it would be best to start the conversation slow, but of course, he failed to even begin speaking before messing up by tripping over his own long legs. He managed to stop himself from falling completely to the ground, mainly because he found Ash by his side, asking if he's okay. _Boy, this guys moves fast_.

     "Woah there! Careful," Ash laughed, helping the taller boy to his feet. "How come every time we see each other you end up on your ass?"

     "Hey, I didn't fall all the way down." Luke defended, finding himself laughing along with the happy boy.

     "That's true." He agreed, packing up his sketchbook and holding it close to his chest. Luke had came up with a theory that Ashton gives very good hugs. He figured he'd have to test that theory out one day. "Where were you headed?"

     "To see you, actually." The blonde stammered out. He felt a bit embarrassed but had a feeling that Ash would never make him feel bad about his stutter.

     "Oh, how convenient. What d'you need?"

     "Are you doing anything tonight?" He asked, putting all of the courage he had into one simple question. "B-because I'd love to hang out with someone, a-and you're someone..." Luke explained, causing the other boy to smile.

     "My friend and I were going to go out to a new bar. I'm sure he wouldn't be against you tagging along, if you want."

     "Really? I-I don't want to intrude if you're meeting someone-" Luke began, but Ashton cut him off.

     "If I didn't want you there, I wouldn't have offered." The dusty blonde promised, and for some reason, Luke trusted him. He nodded in agreement and they began to make plans for where and when they'd meet. After finding out the lanky boy didn't have a car, Ash insisted on driving him there, and once they'd figured out everything, they parted ways.

* * *

 

     Walking home gave Luke some time to think. About Ashton, about Michael, but especially about Calum. He thought they were best friends-- they had been since year 9-- so he just didn't understand why Cal would do that to him. Did he hurt him _that_ badly by rejecting a kiss? In Luke's opinion, what Calum had been doing to him for _years_ was much worse than one rejection on the other boys part. He never asked to be adored by a boy, in all honestly he would have been completely happy being left to study. Then Luke began to think of Ashton, and how nice he was to a boy he just met. Calum was never that nice to him, and they were best friends. Nothing was making sense to poor Luke, and that only made him feel more stressed out than he wanted to be.

     He checked HMV, just to see if Michael was there to distract him from his own thoughts, but sadly he wasn't. In his place, was a girl who looked extremely uninterested with the customers inside. She glared at them as if they wen in only to annoy her. _If looks could kill_ , he thought to himself, continuing his walk home. He had two hours to get ready, since Ashton was picking him up at 6. Two hours was not a lot of time when you factor out how long it would take Luke to pick an outfit, take a shower, get dressed and cleaned up, and then calm himself down enough to be presentable to the outer world. Sometimes Luke hated being himself, but he got by, and getting by was all he needed to do.


	4. iv

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you're probably gonna hate me after you read this

     Ashton arrived to pick Luke up at his apartment at 6 o'clock sharp, but he wasn't completely done dressing so it was about 6:07 when he actually came outside to meet his new friend. The curly-haired artist was proudly driving an old, beat up Ford truck, with red paint chipping mainly around the back bumper, but clearly still having kept its charm over the years. Once Luke climbed into the passenger seat he was relieved that he wasn't under-dressed, observing the boy beside him who was wearing a sweater and some black jeans, as well as his usual black framed glasses. They were dressed in similar attire, the blonde swapping a sweater for a dark Blink-182 shirt and a striking red flannel-- his go-to hang out clothes.

     "You look good, man!" Ashton complimented, looking Luke over before he started to drive. He felt himself blush and return a compliment, saying something about the way his sweater matched his hazel eyes. Back in high school, no one usually complimented Luke. He was more a background guy, the one who would be looked over in yearbooks, and who wouldn't stand out in a crowd. If he wasn't so tall he might have be completely invisible. "We're dropping my truck off at my place before we go. I never drive to bars, so we're taking a cab from there." 

     "Alright." He smiled while nodding understandingly. Sooner than he expected, Luke found that they were rolling up to a tall apartment building and parking in a spot marked  _'24'._  The building had grey stones along the outer walls with sleek, metallic finishes carried throughout, making it look modern and high-end. There were two large plants with huge leaves on either side of the silver door. Ashton escorted him to the front and in between the two plants, where none other than Michael Clifford stood. His head was down and his fingers tapped on his phone screen, but he looked up once he noticed someone walking up to him. A huge smile grew on his face when he saw Ash. They hugged very platonically. Michael finally realized Luke was with him after pulling away. 

     "Hey, Luke. How're ya doin'?" The tattooed boy smirked, looking him up and down. Luke couldn't help but blush and look away, stuttering out some kind of response about how he was good. "What are you doing here?" he wondered aloud.

     "He's coming with us," Ashton explained. "Met him on campus this morning, ran into him again this afternoon. He wanted to tag along."

     "I'm fine with that. We met at work earlier this week," Michael responded, giving Ashton an explanation he didn't ask for. Luke assumed that it was because they were friends, they could tell when one or the other needed an explanation. He envied that quality. Without another word, the two boys began to walk towards the cab waiting out front of the apartment building-- something Luke didn't notice before, but he scurried after them quickly and climbed into the backseat once Ashton and Michael had gone inside. 

     He buckled his seatbelt and looked over at the other two boys, realizing he was squished right beside Michael Clifford. From this angle, Luke had an amazing view of his crush-- his circular, black earrings, his white Weazer shirt with two bold, red lines going straight across his chest, and especially his grey denim jacket that held its shape magnificently across the boys shoulder. He looked gorgeous, like a god, and Luke was completely captivated. So captivated, in fact, that he didn't even notice Michael smirking at him after he'd realized Luke was staring.

     "Take a picture, it'll last longer," he joked to the young blonde, causing him to blush.

     "I'm s-sorry," Luke apologized. _If he didn't hate me before, he definitely does now_ , Luke thought, but was surprised to find Michael wrapping his arm around his shoulders as he chuckled.

     "You're adorable." He smiled, and Luke smiled too.

* * *

 

     The bar was more of a club in Luke's mind, smelling like sweat and alcohol. There were people grinding on each other all over the dance floor, and the music beat so loud he thought his head may explode. Ash and Michael looked like they were having a good time-- chatting by the bar and drinking more than Luke had ever seen someone drink. He'd never been a big drinker, mainly because he'd learned about the negative side effects of getting wasted all the time through med school. Stomach pumps didn't seem very desirable to the lanky boy.

     "Lukey!" Michael slurred, pulling Luke closer to him and taking another drink. He internally squealed at the nickname, but it was obvious that the boy was completely shit faced so he didn't dwell. "Why aren't you having as much fun as we are?" he inquired while motioning to himself and to Ashton, who was dancing with a girl in a dark blue dress that clung to her body nicely. He shook his head, smiling fondly at Michael.

     "I don't think I should. I need to take care of you two and make sure you arrive home safe," Luke answered, making Michael frown in refusal.

     "You're ruining my buzz!" he protested. _You're a little more than buzzed_ , the blonde thought. "You're going to drink right now!" Michael demanded, and he dragged Luke over to a bartender. Michael got them both an order of shots to share and, with Luke's consent, took them with him consecutively. The blonde's heart started to race as each drink went down, every one making him feel more irrational. His decisions became less thought out as the night went on, and as more alcohol was consumed by the pair. At one point he found himself pulling at Michael's hair, talking loudly about how it would look just like cotton candy if it was dyed light pink. Michael just laughed and allowed Luke to be drunk and happy.

     The night changed when Luke went to the bathroom, and came out only to discover that he was face to face with Calum. The way the flashing lights were hitting his dark skin made him look extremely intimidating, and surprisingly bigger than Luke. It made the tall boy feel extremely small and vulnerable, and he found himself trying to believe that Cal _hadn't_ seen him, and that he was safe from the encounter he'd been dreading, but it was too late.

     "Well, look who it is." Calum scowled at Luke. "Have fun at Starbucks this morning? How did it feel to be stabbed in the back?" 

     "I-I didn't stab you in the back, Calum, I-I just told you how I f-felt," Luke tried to reason with the clearly angered-- and drunk-- boy, but his stutter and social awkwardness made him unable to get his point across. The older boy's fists balled up as he stepped closer to Luke. 

     "I was in love with you! I-" Calum started to yell, but was cut off by someone pulling him back and stepping in front of Luke.

     "What's your problem?" Michael asked, puffing his chest to look intimidating. Luke thought it was hot, but was too shocked to look away from Cal for more than a moment.

     "Already got yourself a new piece of meat, huh Lukey?" he spat like fire in the blonde boy's direction. Luke decided he liked it better when Michael used that nickname.

     "Hey!" Michael shouted, shoving Calum so hard that he stumbled a little. That only made him angrier. "Back off," he snapped protectively. 

     "You know what, Luke? If you need someone to fight your battles for you, fine. I'll just have to find you when you're alone and not with your new toy," Cal sneered before glaring so hard at Michael, Luke thought that he could have killed him just then and there.  _He wouldn't hurt him... He's a good person,_ Luke tried to reason with his own mind, but he knew that he was wrong for thinking that. Calum walked away after he and Michael had shared glares. Once he was gone, Luke was hugged tightly by his tattooed friend. The blonde was bombarded with 'are you okay's and 'I won't let anyone hurt you's, and it made him feel incredibly safe, though to Michael it was clear that Luke couldn't handle being there anymore.

     "I'll get Ash, and we'll leave," He whispered into Luke's ear, giving him goosebumps. He found himself shaking his head at the comment.

     "I want to stay. I want to have fun, with you," Luke responded. Michael couldn't help but to give into him.

* * *

 

     The rest of the night was a complete blur of alcohol, grinding, and heated make-out sessions against the wall. Luke was overwhelmed with ecstasy, but he couldn't quite tell just exactly  _who_ he was kissing. It might have been Michael, because he remembered those plump red lips, and his partner had the most desirable looking lips he'd ever seen; it might have been Ashton, because he remembered how giggly he'd been earlier in the day, and his partner couldn't stop laughing against Luke's neck; it might have been Calum, because he remembered how much he would love to fight with Luke and make him feel like shit before fucking him to oblivion, and his partner was forceful enough to pin Luke down and just let him take was he was being given. Although he didn't know exactly  _who_ was making him hard in his jeans, whoever it was soon led him out of the bar by his hand and pushed him into the back of a cab to continue somewhere much more private. Luke couldn't help the butterflies, but he also couldn't help thinking about his partners lips wrapped around his cock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im sorry

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! If you liked it tell me what you think, I appreciate it!


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